Unix Server Tech Knowledge Base

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====== Control OS X from VNC ======

===== OS X from Linux =====

Note: This does not work on OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2). It has apparently been fixed in newer versions.

  - On Mac (machine to be controlled)
    - Open System Preferences (it's in the Apple menu)
    - Open the Sharing panel
    - Check the box Apple Remote Desktop
    - Click Access Privileges
    - Check the box VNC viewers may control screen with password
      - enter a password of less than 8 characters
    - Click OK
  - On remote system (machine to control)
    - Launch Remmina Remote Desktop Client
    - Select Connection > New from menu
      - Select VNC - Virtual Network Computing as Protocol
      - Fill Server field with either IP address or hostname of the Mac
      - Optionally fill both User name and Password to make Remmina remember Your credentials
      - IMPORTANT: Set Color depth to High color (15 bit) or better, otherwise connection will fail
    - Click Connect (or Save to reuse it later)

The instructions above are for a Linux machine with Remmina installed, but you can do the same from a tightVNC command line (cli or GUI, Windows or Unix). You can also access using other tools like krdc.

===== Windows to OS X =====

Microsoft Windows has various third party VNC programs available. I have found tightVNC to be the best for my purposes. Also, check out the paid product UltraVNC.

  - On OS X machine, follow directions above
  - On Windows Machine
    - Install tightVNC (https://tightvnc.com/)
    - Create connection

===== Linux from OS/X =====

  - Start and run a VNC server on the Linux machine. Be sure to set a password
  - From MAC, go to Finder, select Connect to Server, enter URL
    - vnc://server_ip:5900
  - Alternately, install Chicken of the VNC. Development stalled in 2005, but the project was restarted in 2010 with the name changed to simply //Chicken//, which can be downloaded from https://github.com/boecko/chicken/. I have not use this product.
  - You can also use Remote Ripple for Mac, a paid version of TightVNC created for OS X. It can be installed from the Mac Store (Android and IOS versions available from their respective stores).

===== References =====

  * https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/84221/can-i-remotely-access-my-mac-from-linux-using-screen-sharing
  * https://www.lifeonnetwork.com/linux/how-to-remote-from-linux-to-mac/